As I cradle my glass-backed iPhone—consciously aware of how fragile these things are when dropped—Darren Wilson casually tells me how his phone "just literally fell 20 feet."

Of course, I want to be sure that I didn't misunderstand. He actually meant a paltry height of two feet instead, right? But Wilson confirms what I had feared: Twenty feet. Like it was no big deal. I clutch my iPhone just a little bit more tightly.

Wilson works as a pipe fitter for Siemens, in the Canadian arm of the German technology conglomerate. His phone is a Motorola ES400, an old Windows mobile handset, and it isn't exactly what you'd call slim. With the standard battery, it measures 0.67 inches. It increases to a chunky 0.85 inches with an extended cell.

The ES400 is a rugged phone, built to withstand everything from dust to drops and accidental submersion. It's the sort of device that can be used outdoors for extended periods of time, and can be pushed well past the operating limits of most other phones.

Not that Mr. Wilson has a choice of other phones, of course. Siemens has custom software for processing work orders and invoices, keeping track of inventory and submitting timesheets. It all runs on Microsoft’s legacy Windows Mobile system. Worse still, the aging OS hasn’t seen any significant updates since 2010. In technology years, that's practically a lifetime.

But outside of the enterprise—in smaller companies and firms where legacy platforms and software are more rare—it's a different story. Concrete contractors, construction workers and field technicians are apparently trading their traditional rugged phones for regular consumer devices. In the place of an ES400, imagine an iPhone 4S, enclosed in a ruggedized case.

Microsoft may be all about Windows Phone 7 these days, but many customers still rely on its legacy Windows Mobile OS.

Motorola

From a technical standpoint, given the choice, it's easy to understand why someone would pick an iPhone 4S over an old Windows device. Rick Yelton, editor at large with construction media company Hanley Wood, told me that, as far as features are concerned, it's hard for traditional manufacturers in the rugged phone industry to compete.

"Why aren't they in vogue? Because they don't change the technology fast enough," Mr. Yelton said.

But there are tradeoffs to be had as smaller business opt for more modern devices too—and being rugged still means more than having a good case.

Rugged rankings

While it's easy to claim that a device is ruggedized, there are actually industry specifications to prove it. One is an Ingress Protection rating (IP). This is a measure of a device's ability to repel varying degrees of dust and/or water from entering a device.

Mr. Wilson's ES400, for example, meets IP42 sealing requirements. The first number—the device's foreign body ranking, on a scale of 0 to 6—indicates its ability to prevent dust, particles, or other objects from entering the enclosure. In this case, a rank of four means the device is protected against granular particles down to 1mm in size. It's not until a device is given a ranking of five that it is considered dust protected, with six indicating a device is dust-proof.

The second number—a device's water protection ranking—has a slightly larger scale, from zero to eight. A device is not considered safe from immersion until it achieves a ranking of seven, and even then, only for a temporary period of time at limited depths. The highest ranking of eight indicates more permanent immersion, often while under pressure—though this too can differ from device to device. A two, however, as found on the ES400, only indicates the ability to resist light rainfall or sprays.

Some manufacturers will also subject their devices to US Military Standard 810G specifications for drop and impact-resistance. For example, Sonim rates its current line of rugged phones as capable of withstanding 6.5 feet drops onto bare concrete, though this can vary amongst manufacturers.

The Defender

Talk to anyone in the field with a rugged phone case, and they'll usually reference the Defender. This is Otterbox's flagship protection line for iPhones, BlackBerrys and myriad other devices, and for good reason. The company likes to demonstrate the Defender at events by casually throwing it on the floor, and touts the product as offering "total protection for the construction industry."

The problem—if you can call it that—is that the Defender series doesn't do anything to improve a device's IP or Military Standard specifications. In other words, "you really have to design the PDA from the bottom up to attain this properly," says Liverpool-based Rugged and Mobile, a hardware services company for rugged devices. Instead, they refer to a case's ability to increase the durability of a phone, as opposed to its ruggedness.

The Otterbox website does mention that its Defender line "provides added protection against bump, shock, drop, and dust intrusion," though it's unclear how this additional protection is measured. Nowhere on the site is there mention of IP or Military Specification tests, and the company has yet to respond with clarification regarding its testing procedures as of this article.

But even if the Otterbox isn't rugged in the traditional sense, people in the industry are still eager to see how it compares. Brandon Wright, for example, works at a company called Data Drill, which provides communication equipment—including rugged Motorola and Samsung feature phones—to oil and gas companies operating in Alberta, Canada. He says his company recently sent out their first iPhone with one of his field techs, equipped with an Otterbox Defender case.

Shaun Hollinshead, a driver with North American transportation service Contrans Flatbed Group, also owns a Defender-clad iPhone. It replaced his similarly protected BlackBerry device. Both have survived falls unscathed.

However, Hollinshead isn't quite so sure it can compare to his old rugged phone, an push-to-talk (iDEN) handset on Canada's MiKE cellular network.

"I dropped that thing twice from 35 feet, no problem," he says. "It just hit the ground. The battery came out, you slammed it back together, and the thing worked."

50 Reader Comments

I have the Casio GzOne Commando, which i believe conforms to the military smartphone standards, or at least comes close to most of them, and it's amazing what I've put this phone through and it's still going strong! Dropped from several feet numerous time? Yup. Left on an opened window's sill during a rain storm and got soaked? Yup. Wore on a water ride at an amusement park? Yup. Left the screen sitting out in direct sunlight in the summer? Absolutely. It might not take the abuse of some of the older Windows phones, but it is a lot better than the LG Ally my girlfriend has and the old Droid 1 that I used to have.

We need more modular, commoditized hardware. Modular smartphone hardware probably wouldn't be as thin a Razr, but the ability to interchange components quickly would make it much easier to design rugged phones and other special-purpose devices. Design one ruggedized casing and swap internals out, rather than having to build from the ground up every time.

Maybe someday, when consumers wake up from the spell of cheering for high margins for the people taking their money.

I see many people who desperately need a ruggedized iphone: surely an iphone built from the ground up to survive a fall would look a bit less 1995 than the chunky plastic otter box. I wonder how a rugged iphone would sell. I suppose most people would still purchase the sleeker version since it looks better on the store shelf.

I have the Casio GzOne Commando, which i believe conforms to the military smartphone standards, or at least comes close to most of them, and it's amazing what I've put this phone through and it's still going strong! Dropped from several feet numerous time? Yup. Left on an opened window's sill during a rain storm and got soaked? Yup. Wore on a water ride at an amusement park? Yup. Left the screen sitting out in direct sunlight in the summer? Absolutely. It might not take the abuse of some of the older Windows phones, but it is a lot better than the LG Ally my girlfriend has and the old Droid 1 that I used to have.

Thanks for posting this. I've been seriously considering getting one of those as my next phone. During the winter, I'm usually out all day in relatively cool weather (10F to 32F) and when it's above that temp, it's frequently raining. I take my iPhone (original, and 4 for the past two years) out into it but put them in Ziplock bags if there's any hint of rain. Still, it doesn't help against cold or condensation or accidentally dropping them into puddles/creeks when out of the Ziplock.

The best protection for your phone is manual dexterity. Just practice with your phone. Spin and flip it in your hand until you can do it without fail. The safest phone is one that isn't dropped at all.

The best protection for your phone is manual dexterity. Just practice with your phone. Spin and flip it in your hand until you can do it without fail. The safest phone is one that isn't dropped at all.

So you can magically prevent rain from getting to the phone? Dust? Just by spinning and flipping.

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

We need more modular, commoditized hardware. Modular smartphone hardware probably wouldn't be as thin a Razr, but the ability to interchange components quickly would make it much easier to design rugged phones and other special-purpose devices. Design one ruggedized casing and swap internals out, rather than having to build from the ground up every time.

Maybe someday, when consumers wake up from the spell of cheering for high margins for the people taking their money.

Most consumers value the thinness and apps/features that most smartphones provide. Interchangeable components is nice in theory, but seems to appeal mostly to a niche crowd unless it includes cosmetic personalizations.

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

New term: Hip-Spec. Meets hipster specifications for pretending to not care about the appearance of the device while still allowing people to see that it's (device X) that you've chosen to ugly up.

We need more modular, commoditized hardware. Modular smartphone hardware probably wouldn't be as thin a Razr, but the ability to interchange components quickly would make it much easier to design rugged phones and other special-purpose devices. Design one ruggedized casing and swap internals out, rather than having to build from the ground up every time.

Maybe someday, when consumers wake up from the spell of cheering for high margins for the people taking their money.

It's not about high-margins, really. The components in a smart phone don't lend themselves to being modular. To get decent battery life and to fit into a reasonably sized enclosure, everything HAS to be integrated. Just like notebook computers.

You could have a "generic" phone platform, but the phones would be huge, and the battery life would stink. And they'd be MUCH more expensive.

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

New term: Hip-Spec. Meets hipster specifications for pretending to not care about the appearance of the device while still allowing people to see that it's (device X) that you've chosen to ugly up.

Thing is, the Otterbox doesn't pretend to protect from water or dust. So it doesn't really compromise the protection. The case is just ot protect from drops, or having items dropped on it...which it does, and well.

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

New term: Hip-Spec. Meets hipster specifications for pretending to not care about the appearance of the device while still allowing people to see that it's (device X) that you've chosen to ugly up.

Thing is, the Otterbox doesn't pretend to protect from water or dust. So it doesn't really compromise the protection. The case is just ot protect from drops, or having items dropped on it...which it does, and well.

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

Well... they will probably be using those in their "SUV"s (which have tires that never leave asphalt).

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

New term: Hip-Spec. Meets hipster specifications for pretending to not care about the appearance of the device while still allowing people to see that it's (device X) that you've chosen to ugly up.

Thing is, the Otterbox doesn't pretend to protect from water or dust. So it doesn't really compromise the protection. The case is just ot protect from drops, or having items dropped on it...which it does, and well.

There is a cutout for the camera already (on both phones), so it's not like it makes any substantial difference regardless. You've established that the Apple branding is more prominent than HTC branding. Go you?

The standard warranty is 90 days from purchase. Extend your warranty free of charge to 365 days (One year) by viewing the instructions, registering, and completing the helpful operating checklist at www.lifeproof.com/support/ If a material or workmanship defect arises and a valid claim is received within the Warranty Period, LifeProof will replace the case only.

Please Note: LifeProof cannot be held liable for damages to personal property due to misuse or improper installation, or improper care and maintenance of case and o-ring or gasket seals. LifeProof warranty does not, under any circumstance, cover the replacement or cost of any electronic device or personal property inside or outside of the case.

So you have to install it yourself and it requires maintenance and they basically don't guarantee that it will work at all (as in replace your iPhone if it doesn't work).

The fact that OtterBox chose to compromise the protection of their case just to let the Apple logo show through tells me they aren't all that serious about ruggedizing, but rather are trying to appeal to people who only want to look rugged.

New term: Hip-Spec. Meets hipster specifications for pretending to not care about the appearance of the device while still allowing people to see that it's (device X) that you've chosen to ugly up.

Thing is, the Otterbox doesn't pretend to protect from water or dust. So it doesn't really compromise the protection. The case is just ot protect from drops, or having items dropped on it...which it does, and well.

There is a cutout for the camera already (on both phones), so it's not like it makes any substantial difference regardless. You've established that the Apple branding is more prominent than HTC branding. Go you?

Oh, you're no fun at all. I just want to be snarky about people who feel it's important that others know what brands they own, even as they claim to not be shallow. I'm not concerned if the cases work or not, just amused that someone in design made the conscious decision to be certain that the branding showed through.

Another Casio Commando user. It's over a year old, I love mine and hope they come out with a 2nd version soon. No the hardware nor software is the fastes or latest and greatest, but it's darn tough and has been through just about every wet/shock/cold situation I can think of. Well done, Casio.

The best protection for your phone is manual dexterity. Just practice with your phone. Spin and flip it in your hand until you can do it without fail. The safest phone is one that isn't dropped at all.

So you can magically prevent rain from getting to the phone? Dust? Just by spinning and flipping.

You see, people whose smartphone don't survive a small fall are just holding it wrong

The best protection for your phone is manual dexterity. Just practice with your phone. Spin and flip it in your hand until you can do it without fail. The safest phone is one that isn't dropped at all.

So you can magically prevent rain from getting to the phone? Dust? Just by spinning and flipping.

You see, people whose smartphone don't survive a small fall are just holding it wrong

I managed to pulverize the screen on my Defender clad iPhone when my puppy knocked over the snack table it sat on. The phone hit the floor and the table edge came cleanly down on the center of the screen. When the applecare guy at the store opened the otterbox a cloud of glass dust wafted in the air. It offers some protection, just not against the perfect storm of events.

i care less about shock protection, and much more about water protection. i really think companies aren't investing any thought whatsoever into sealing a phone to keep water out. i shouldn't have to worry about sweat from running, or a high humidity day, or getting caught in an errant rain storm turning that stupid moisture sticker pink.

My wife is murderous to her phones. Her iPhone 4 has been slammed in a car door, and bounced down two stories of concrete stairs, and is still in mint condition due to the Otterbox Defender case she has.

Why not mention the Griffin Survivor case? My wife and I got these cases for our iPhone 4s's -- not because we were prone to throwing the phone across a hill or running over it with a car -- but because we have an 18-month toddler -- and the cases pay for themselves at least once a month!

The best protection for your phone is manual dexterity. Just practice with your phone. Spin and flip it in your hand until you can do it without fail. The safest phone is one that isn't dropped at all.

So you can magically prevent rain from getting to the phone? Dust? Just by spinning and flipping.

You see, people whose smartphone don't survive a small fall are just holding it wrong

i care less about shock protection, and much more about water protection. i really think companies aren't investing any thought whatsoever into sealing a phone to keep water out. i shouldn't have to worry about sweat from running, or a high humidity day, or getting caught in an errant rain storm turning that stupid moisture sticker pink.

Thing is changing. Motorola is making a big deal about their Razr and Razr Maxx being coated with a liquid repellant.

The Motorola ES410 pictured in the article looks pretty nice from an aesthetic point of view. I took a look at it's specs and it's not too bad either (for me anyways). Wonder if there is an Android version or something similar. I also looked up the Casio GzOne Commando as mentioned by someone else and dear god, what an ugly phone. I do like the fact that it seems it can take a beating though.